Living life the French way...

The government will today (8 February) restate its commitment to ending the current 15 year time limit on British expats registering as overseas electors.

As well as removing a time limit on the right to vote for UK citizens living abroad, the government intends to enfranchise any British expats who was previously resident or registered to vote in the UK. This is part of the government’s wider ambition to strengthen the foundation of democracy and continually increase voter registration by ensuring every voter’s voice is heard.

Combined, these changes will mean millions of UK citizens overseas will be eligible to register to vote. British expats – under existing laws – have the lowest level of voter registration of any group.

Learn how to keep more of your own money with a free guide from CurrencyFair and over the next few days find out how I have saved using their service as well as other tips and advice. Find out more here.

MANY people in the Dordogne will have woken this morning to a centimetre or two of snow, as winter takes a bite before its time is up.

Here in Loubéjac the snow began falling late evening and by the morning a still, white blanket covered the ground, with few people out and about.

Temperatures are expected to stay around freezing for the rest of today and tomorrow, so the gritters have been out on the main roads (marked yellow on the map) although by the weekend rain is forecast to return.

Learn how to keep more of your own money with a free guide from CurrencyFair and over the next few days find out how I have saved using their service as well as other tips and advice. Find out more here.

Learn how to keep more of your own money with a free guide from CurrencyFair and over the next few days find out how I have saved using their service as well as other tips and advice. Find out more here.

Learn how to keep more of your own money with a free guide from CurrencyFair and over the next few days find out how I have saved using their service as well as other tips and advice. Find out more here.

DRIVERS in France have been warned that it is illegal to use mobile phones in their vehicles even if they have pulled over and turned their hazard lights on at the side of the road.

The Court of Appeal has ruled that drivers are still 'in circulation' even if they have pulled over, and the ruling comes after a driver was fined when he was parked, with his vehicle's hazard lights on, on the right side of a roundabout.

Drivers caught using their phone face a fine of up to €135 and will see three points added to their driving license, and applies to the use of mobile phones in the hand and not to cars fitted with hands-free sets.

Vehicle drivers are warned that they must be properly parked in a designated parking area before using their phones, although drivers of cars that have broken down that are on the side of the road due to not being able to drive further, are permitted to use their mobile phones to call for assistance.

Learn how to keep more of your own money with a free guide from CurrencyFair and over the next few days find out how I have saved using their service as well as other tips and advice. Find out more here.

Learn how to keep more of your own money with a free guide from CurrencyFair and over the next few days find out how I have saved using their service as well as other tips and advice. Find out more here.

THE number of people suffering from flu conditions is at epidemic levels across many regions of France.

The latest report from health authorities, Santé Publique France, shows that eight regions of France are currently at epidemic levels of illness, while four are showing pre-epidemic results.

More than 3,200 people ended up being taken into hospital last week, with the number of doctor consultations for flu hitting 193 per 100,000 inhabitants.

With flu likely to be making people ill long into February then checking up on whether you are able to have a flu jab might be some protection, but also ensuring you regularly wash your hands and clean surfaces may keep the bugs away.

Learn how to keep more of your own money with a free guide from CurrencyFair and over the next few days find out how I have saved using their service as well as other tips and advice. Find out more here.

THE Dordogne authorities are to press local mayors to give a full address to homes and properties to help the emergency services and la poste locate buildings.

France Bleu Périgord reports that many corners of the Dordogne do not have a full address of a number and a name for the road, with the conseil départemental saying they will help local mairies with the project.

Besides the emergency services and la poste requiring addresses, more and more services such as internet access and even apps on mobile phones require detailed locations to work correctly.

Some areas of the Dordogne have already undertaken naming projects, often using the lieu-dit or other local names as the basis of a new a address, with finances made available to pay for road signs.

Learn how to keep more of your own money with a free guide from CurrencyFair and over the next few days find out how I have saved using their service as well as other tips and advice. Find out more here.

Learn how to keep more of your own money with a free guide from CurrencyFair and over the next few days find out how I have saved using their service as well as other tips and advice. Find out more here.

THE French prime minister, Edouard Philippe, has said that €100 million will be spent to ensure high-speed internet is available in isolated rural areas.

Speaking in Cahors, in the Lot, Edouard Philippe said that he wanted to see good broadband speeds available across France by 2020, with high-speed access available from 2022.

The promise of better internet access in so-called zones blanches was put forward by French president Emmanuel Macron earlier this year saying he wanted to see speeds of at least eight megabits a second by 2020.

Edouard Philippe said he would talk with mobile phone operators very soon to press them to improve mobile internet speeds in areas where fibre access was not possible.

It is estimated that around 7.5 million people in France are unable to get a high-speed connection.

Learn how to keep more of your own money with a free guide from CurrencyFair and over the next few days find out how I have saved using their service as well as other tips and advice. Find out more here.